CompuClever Blog

Keep’n It Cool

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Things are heating up – which means PC temperatures are rising. Just how important is it to make certain that your PC does not overheat? We’ll introduce a story from one of our expert support technicians and then get into potential issues that can result. We’ll conclude with ways of addressing overheating PC systems and laptops.

With our previous article (ReadyBoost) we received some email responses that were very positive. One email responder stated that he and a group of friends got some real benefit from the free technology we presented. One of the members of the group stated that their PC was “…working much more smoothly after implementing your USB know how.” The email went on to suggest we cover the topic of making sure that the “computers processor runs as cool as possible and what to do if it is running to hot.” That’s a great suggestion and we had already begun to write about this subject.

We’ll get started with a story from one of our Tech Support specialists.

Fan or Wireless Connection?

You can find all sorts of odd occurrences with your PC system and sometimes the oddest issue can arise with what appears to be no solution in sight. Continue reading...

The Key – USB

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“Can I get off at the next stop?”  It’s easy when you are on a bus, but not so simple when using computers.  The problem is the information highway is getting faster and trying to navigate can be frustrating.  We hope to make it easier with our upcoming series on USB technology and the functionality that is available.  We’ll get started on a description of USB in general, highlight differences between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, speak about USB hubs, and then discuss the USB flash drive.

The Connection

Speaking of buses… in case you didn’t know, USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. USB has been around for a long time and it serves to standardize the connection, communication, and in some cases the power supply between a device and your PC.  USB is used for printers, cameras, keyboards, media players, as well as hard drive disks and flash drives.

In general, there are three basic kinds or sizes related to the USB connectors and types of established connection: the older “standard” size, in its USB 1.1, 2.0, and 3.0 variants (for example, on USB flash drives). [1]

USB Comparison

You are most likely dealing with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 (as well as 3.1).  Continue reading...

My New PC Arrival

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What can compare to the feeling of getting a new PC? It’s like watching Tom Hanks in the movie “Big” when he spends a day in the toy department! While reasons for purchasing a new computer will differ from person to person, what remains constant is a level of excitement and anticipation that comes with getting it set up and putting it to use. With any level of excitement comes taking a few moments to take care of certain little necessities before rushing headlong into the fun. Ahhh adulthood!

Stages

We have come up with a list of items that we feel constitute the “necessities” of first running you brand new PC. In an attempt to make it easier for you we have broken these items into stages – that way it doesn’t seem overwhelming and tedious. We have also included an approximate time of completion. These may vary based on many factors but it is intended to give you an idea of what to expect. By having this information available you can determine how many items you can take on based on your schedule. If you want to bite the bullet and complete the tasks on the same day… go for it! Continue reading...

Introducing Windows 10

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Microsoft is coming out with a new operating system.  There is a lot of “love” going out for this release.  That is to say… much of the feedback is that users love the features.  And the icing on the cake, like Apple OS X and mobile operating systems, Windows 10 upgrade is free.  As many of our readers know… free sometimes comes at a cost.  We will examine the fine print and give our recommendations.

So let’s begin.  We won’t go into all the details of the offer but we will highlight the most important ones.  We encourage you to go to this page to find out more if your questions are still left unanswered.

What is it?

As Microsoft states:

“Windows 10 is yet another radical change from previous versions, and it’s a huge Microsoft effort to recover after the critics on Windows 8. The new operating system brings a brand new user interface, a new Start menu, Cortana, Continuum, and some other features. This makes the operating system new again, but more familiar to customers upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8. Also, Microsoft is making its new operating system a single piece of software that with little modification can easily run across devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, and game console.”
Continue reading...

Test Your Internet Speed

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Currently, one popular speed test site performs more than 5 million speed tests each day.  This speaks to the need of attempting to verify if our Internet is slow or suffers from periods of poor connectivity.  Stopping and waiting for a video or show to buffer in the middle of viewing or being cut off during an online chat session – these are sources of frustration.  This is especially true given the fact that we paid for a service and full expect that it should deliver.  When you signed up for a service you may have heard the boastful claims for fast download and upload speeds.  But, do those numbers hold up to everyday use?  And why do we face slowdowns?  Many service providers are looking at changing the monthly subscription model to a usage model.  What leeway do they have around charging more for priority services; and, what about government regulations in this area?  We’ll look into these concerns and we’ll show how all speed tests are not created equal.  We also have a list of phrases, terminology, and speed measurements to help with some of this subject matter.  We’ll start with some recent news.

In the News: Fair and Equal

At the end of February of this year, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to have the same rules applied to broadband as what is governed by the telephone service.  Continue reading...